Dengue prevention programme in Piliyandala
Action taken against 26 individuals
Following the heavy spell of rains a programme to prevent the outbreak of dengue fever had been launched in the Piliyandala and Bokundara areas under the Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr Indika Ellawala.
Dr Ellawala said legal action had been taken against 26 individuals who had neglected dengue mosquito breeding grounds in their premises.
He said a total of 1,525 premises were inspected and red notices served on 351 premises, where possible mosquito breeding grounds were found.
Dr Elllawala said the owners concerned had been warned that they would be liable to legal action unless they kept their premises clean and tidy and free of mosquito breeding grounds.
They were instructed to inform the MOH office soon for inspection after cleaning their premises.
He said the owners were ordered to clean immediately all neglected stormwater drains in several buildings including houses that had turned into mosquito breeding grounds due to the obstructions caused to the free flow of water.
The owners were also ordered to clean several home gardens where a large collection of solid waste including plastic cans, yoghurt cups, plastic bottles, curd pots, polythene bags had been left without any attention.
They were also warned that they would be liable to legal action against them unless they followed the instructions given.
Dr Ellawala said steps had been taken to create public awareness on the impending danger of dengue fever after the rains and their responsibility to cooperate with the authorities to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.
The MOH said a team of employees of the Kesbewa UC and the Dengue Prevention Unit cleaned the stormwater drains.
UC officials paid particular attention to construction sites that are considered as the high-risk locations for the breeding of dengue mosquitoes.
Construction contractors of several sites where pits, concrete slabs and vessels that created mosquito breeding grounds were found, had been warned that legal action would be taken against them unless they adopted safety measures to prevent danger to public health by allowing mosquito breeding in their sites.
Administrative PHI, Piliyandala Division Sumith Mark De Silva, area
PHIS Udaya Dissanayake, Saman Jayasekara, Prasad Priyadarshana, Niroshan Wannigama, Mahesh Buddhapriya and L.j.swarnage carried out the inspection with the help of the employees of Kesbewa and Boralesgamuwa urban councils.